Peter Hartley has issued a statement after the SFA’s Compliance Officer launched a probe into comments he made about Rangers and former player Fabio Cardoso.

The Motherwell captain, previewing his side’s clash with the Gers this weekend, commented on the fiery Betfred Cup semi final meeting between the two teams last season, saying: “When we cross the white line on Sunday, there won’t be much respect shown to be honest.

Motherwell captain Peter Hartley has apologised for the comments. Picture: SNS Group

“I think [Ryan Bowman] broke a boy’s nose, didn’t he, so that was fun, to watch him weeping.”

Hartley was referring to an incident in that Hampden semi final in which Motherwell striker Ryan Bowman caught the Portuguese defender in the face, leaving him with a broken nose.

Photos showed Cardoso with a bloodied nose in the aftermath of the incident, and the 24-year-old was sidelined for weeks.